Florida State to Host Student-Athlete & Spirit Group Bone Marrow Drive
By Seminoles.com // August 14, 2015
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA (Seminoles.com)– Florida State will hold its fifth-annual student-athlete and spirit groups Kidz1stFund Bone Marrow Drive from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 21 inside the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility.
The event is open to the media and interview opportunities specific to the bone marrow drive and Kidz1stFund will be available.
Kidz1stFund is a nonprofit organization established in August of 2011 after Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher’s son Ethan was diagnosed with a rare, incurable blood disease called Fanconi anemia (FA). Fanconi anemia is a hereditary anemia, primarily a blood disease that can affect all systems of the body and lead to bone marrow failure and cancer.
For decades, the disorder was thought to be untreatable, but promising advances in medical research have improved the prognosis. To extend their lives, most children fighting FA will require a stem cell transplant, either bone marrow or cord blood, yet many wait years to fine a donor who is a perfect match – or never find one.
Seventy-percent of people do not have a donor in their family, like the Fishers, and depend on the Be The Match Registry to find a match to save their life.
Student-athletes and spirt group members, who have not joined the registry, will be given the opportunity to sign up at the event.
